{
  "id": "2024-04-08-brown-university-steinert-hall-arson",
  "slug": "brown-university-steinert-hall-arson-2024-04-08",
  "institution": {
    "name": "Brown University",
    "shortName": "Brown",
    "state": "RI",
    "type": "private-r1",
    "alertSystemName": "Brown Alert",
    "enrollment": 11000
  },
  "incident": {
    "date": "2024-04-08",
    "type": "arson",
    "cleryCategory": "timely-warning",
    "resolution": "under-investigation",
    "headline": "Timely warning after smoke reported in the basement of Steinert Hall",
    "headlinePublic": "Timely warning after smoke reported in the basement of Steinert Hall",
    "summary": "Brown University Department of Public Safety and Emergency Management [published a public notice](https://publicsafety.brown.edu/alerts/timely-warning-arson) dated 2024-04-08 concerning this incident. Full transmitted text is preserved in the case alerts from the [official alerts archive](https://publicsafety.brown.edu/alerts/crime-alerts).",
    "outcome": "See official notice for investigation status and guidance to the community.",
    "casualties": {
      "killed": 0,
      "injured": 0
    }
  },
  "alerts": [
    {
      "sequence": 1,
      "type": "initial",
      "channel": "email",
      "verbatimText": "Timely Warning\n\nThe Brown University Department of Public Safety provides this notice in compliance with the Timely Notice provision of the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act.\n\nIncident\n\nOn Monday, April 8, 2024, at approximately 1:42 AM, the Brown University Department of Public Safety responded to Steinert Hall, located at 148 Power Street for a report of the smell of smoke in the basement of the building. Members of the Department of Public Safety arrived and could smell burning plastic. Once in the basement area officers observed a faint haze in the air. Upon further inspection officers discovered a burning trash can in the men’s restroom. The fire was quickly extinguished by DPS. Providence Fire Department was called to the scene. Brown University Fire Safety responded to the scene. No injuries and no damage to the building. Brown Fire Safety’s preliminary investigation of the scene determined it to be an Arson investigation. This matter is under investigation by Brown University Department of Public Safety and Brown University Fire Safety. Anyone with information about this crime is asked to contact the Brown University Department of Public Safety at 401-863-3322.\n\nResources\n\nBrown University Department of Public Safety 401-863-3322\n\nBrown University Department of Fire Safety 401-863-3463\n\nProvidence Fire Department 402-243-6050\n\nBrown University Department of Emergency Management, Resiliency, and Business\n\nContinuity 401-863-5458\n\nThe Brown University campus community is always encouraged to take the following steps to keep yourself and others safe:\n\n• Be aware of your surroundings\n\n• Report suspicious behavior, even when you are not directly threatened\n\n• If you feel unsafe in any situation, trust your instincts and call Brown DPS at 401-863-3322 or the Providence Police at 401-272-3121\n\nPlease review the Brown DPS web page for additional safety awareness information and resources.\n\nLocation\n\n148 Power Street",
      "isVerbatimConfirmed": true,
      "sourceUrl": "https://publicsafety.brown.edu/alerts/timely-warning-arson",
      "sourceDescription": "Brown DPSEM public alerts archive (publicsafety.brown.edu)",
      "annotations": [
        "Full text transcribed from the official Brown Public Safety alert page"
      ],
      "characterCount": 1997,
      "timestampApprox": "Early morning of April 8, 2024 after ~1:42 am Steinert Hall smoke response"
    }
  ],
  "context": "On 2024-04-08, [Brown University](https://www.brown.edu/) Public Safety issued a community-facing notice archived at [publicsafety.brown.edu](https://publicsafety.brown.edu/alerts/timely-warning-arson). The text is a complete Clery-style or community safety message as posted publicly by the Department of Public Safety and Emergency Management. Related notices appear on the [crime alerts index](https://publicsafety.brown.edu/alerts/crime-alerts).",
  "keyFindings": [
    "Full official text recovered from Brown's public alerts archive",
    "Verbatim transcription preserves original wording for emergency-management research use"
  ],
  "sources": [
    {
      "title": "Timely warning after smoke reported in the basement of Steinert Hall (Brown Public Safety)",
      "url": "https://publicsafety.brown.edu/alerts/timely-warning-arson",
      "type": "official-archive"
    },
    {
      "title": "Brown Public Safety crime alerts index",
      "url": "https://publicsafety.brown.edu/alerts/crime-alerts",
      "type": "official-archive"
    },
    {
      "title": "Brown University emergency information",
      "url": "https://www.brown.edu/emergency",
      "type": "official"
    }
  ],
  "confidence": "high",
  "tags": [
    "arson",
    "timely-warning",
    "steinert-hall",
    "brown"
  ],
  "dateAdded": "2026-07-21",
  "lastUpdated": "2026-07-21",
  "addedBy": "ingestion"
}